Police question.

V

vehmgericht223

Joined
Feb 15, 2008
Messages
40
The Police folder has been called "one of the best defensive folders ever made." I know it is extremely popular and I have always loved the Police model. I've carried one in some form since I was sixteen. My question is, regarding the traditional all stainless production folder, is whether or not you think the ergonomics of the handle are safe for stabbing into an "attacker" without a real risk of it stopping on bone or some other hard material and causing you to injure yourself? Obviously there are risks with nearly any folder because of the absence of a hilt, but I know that "defensive folders" are usually designed with that problem in mind.. Any input would be appreciated.
 
I owned the Police 3 G-10 and I'd say it would be fine in most cases, but it wouldn't be my #1 choice if I did have to stab through something hard or thick, especially with the SS version; you'd be relying on the thumb ramp a lot and it could mess up your thumb in a hard stab.

I personally look for thick blade, grippy scales, and a deep finger choil when picking a "tactical" knife.
 
vehmgericht223 said:
The Police folder has been called "one of the best defensive folders ever made."
Click to expand...
By whom? I'm not at all certain the Police was designed primarily for use as a "defensive folder" and would, in fact, be surprised if that was the case.

Paul
bar_02.gif

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
The Deacon said:
By whom? I'm not at all certain the Police was designed primarily for use as a "defensive folder" and would, in fact, be surprised if that was the case.

Paul
bar_02.gif

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
Click to expand...
Perhaps it's not designed for SD, but I would think it would work pretty well if used for that purpose.
 
Herr_Noobien said:
Perhaps it's not designed for SD, but I would think it would work pretty well if used for that purpose.
Click to expand...
I'm sure it would, at least in the hands of someone with both the necessary skills and an awareness of its limitations. However, that's not anywhere near the same as describing it as "one of the best defensive folders ever made." However, I will concede that even that statement might be acceptable if the context was known. If, for example it was uttered in 1985 or 1986, when the Police was a fairly new design and there were far fewer "tactical" folders to compare it with, it may have been true, even if such use was not a primary design objective.

Quote from The Spyderco Story:

Designed to provide officers with a rapidly deployable utility knife with a blade hefty enough to do additional duty as a utility tool and a defensive weapon, the Police Model rapidly became a collector's item.
Click to expand...

In the same article Sal notes that it was designed in response to requests from LEOs for a Mariner with a tip.

Paul
bar_02.gif

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
For a self-defense folder to be effective, you have to have it with you when you need it. The SS Police packs a fairly long blade in a thin package that carries easily, making it more likely to be with you when you need it rather than laying on the dresser because it was wearing out your pockets. In that respect, it is a great SD knife. As far as how good a knife-fighting weapon it is, how should I know? In fifty plus years I've never had a need to use a knife for a weapon.
 
though imho the grip could be better it would still be ok.

not any better than any number of others though, & imho a long country mile from being the "best".

might have been one of the better ones when it 1st came out but competition is a bit tougher now than 15 or however many years ago, ya have a lot more to pick from.
 
I would say police was one of the first modern defense folders. And it is "the best" on the same basis that colt 1911 is one of the best defensive pistols ever made.
 
Just looking at it, I don't think that the Police would be something that I'd choose to stab with.

Then again, I don't think that a knife needs to be designed for stabbing in order to be considered a good design for self defense. If you are actually talking defense, that is going to involve more slashes and blocking than stabbing anyway.

Ever seen a kerambit or a Spyderco Civilian? Specifically designed for self defense and neither is much good for stabbing.
 
Take a close look at the Spyderco Police model. Take a close look at the tip of the knife and the blade grind. Take notice of the design of the swedge/false edge, and add to that the fact that Sal has stated he specifically designed the swedge/false edge to be fully covered by the handle, should the ELU decide they want to sharpen the swedge/false edge. Take notice of the length of the blade, and consider the fact that it is the longest (aside from the Catfish and the Spydersaw, which both have their own distinct purposes) blade Spyderco makes. The Police model was definitely designed to be an SD piece for the good guys, should that need arise!;)

As far as the stainless steel handle goes, Spyderco wasn't using FRN and G-10 back in 1984, when the Police model came out.

Regards,
3G
 
and just how many knife articles in the distant past (and that's well before "tactical knives" were the buzz word) which didn't feature Mr Michael Janich with a Police in hand!
 
Personally I think the design has been eclipsed by the Military. I'm curious about the new Police though, I hope to have one in hand soon.

But if you really want a SD folder, I would look at the Military first... or the Chinook.
 
I am a Military nut and I have several but I also have the Police 3 and I rotate them out as a EDC. It is a great knife and I would not be concerned if I had to use it for SD.


RickJ
 
I take this opportunity to once more lobby for a waved Police. I am convinced that the waved knives are the best for SD. If we must carry a knife for self-protection, and we can't carry a fixed blade, then a waved knife it must be. The P'Kal is my favorite, but I prefer a longer blade. The waved Endura is great, but it doesn't have the je ne c'est quoi of the Police.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top